Mozambican women are faced with with a rising cost of living as they work to provide for their families. (Photo Courtesy David Gough/IRIN)

Maputo — Interior Minister Jose Pacheco declared on Wednesday in Maputo that the security forces are working to restore public order.

Since Wednesday morning, the cities of Maputo and Matola have seen violent demonstrations led, according to the Minister, by adventurists, bandits and wrongdoers, who not only caused death but also caused damage to various properties providing services for citizens.

The Minister told Radio Mozambique that citizens were free to demonstrate provided they first inform the correct authorities.

Asked about the use of tear gas grenades and rubber bullets against demonstrators, Pacheco explained, "we used tear gas to counter acts of vandalism".

The Minister admitted that deaths had resulted from confrontations between the police and demonstrators, despite the police only using rubber bullets. "Rubber bullets can in some cases cause death if a person is hit in a sensitive part of the body", explained Pacheco.

Three deaths have been confirmed by the Jose Macamo General Hospital in Maputo. It has also been reported that a child died, and Pacheco sent his condolences to the child's family.

Pacheco ended the interview by appealing to the population to work harder in order to increase production and productivity. "People need to produce. Only with production can we resolve the problem of the high cost of living", he concluded.